Ant farm thievery

An online journal about visual art, the urban landscape and design. Mary Louise Schumacher, the Journal Sentinel's art and architecture critic, leads the discussion and a community of writers contribute to the dialogue.

What's a gallery owner to do? Do people buy art? So rarely that he has to beg the electric company to leave the lights going. Do people steal things like a copy of Found Magazine, fun little buttons and a copy of the very first issue of Suicide Girls? Sadly, yes, they do.

But, what Mike Brenner, owner of Hotcakes Gallery in Riverwest calls the "ultimate atrocity" has just happened.

Someone absconded with his gallery ant farm.

"All the hours my little red friends and I spent together eating meals, gazing into each other's eyes and making plans for our future together," Mike said in an email to a popular artist listserv. "Now we have been separated."

He insists no ransom will be paid.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Hocakes Gallery ant farm is encouraged to write to Mike at Mike@hotcakesgallery.com.

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Keep up with the art scene and trends in urban design with art and architecture critic Mary Louise Schumacher. Every week, you'll get the latest reviews, musings on architecture and her picks for what to do on the weekends.